ROCKFORD — The idea of lowering the Rockford School District's tax levy next year and saving taxpayers anywhere from $35 to $70 on their property tax bills is dead.

The proposal, which got the support of a school board subcommittee on budget and finance earlier this fall, hasn't been talked about in more than a month, and members of the subcommittee doubt it will get brought up by anyone with decision-making powers before the Dec. 31 deadline.

The Rockford School Board voted in September to collect essentially the same amount of property tax revenue next year as it did this year, about $157 million.

Despite the flat levy request, the district's tax rate, which is applied to property values to calculate how much taxpayers owe, is expected to go from $6.68 to $7.24 to collect the same amount.

Some members of the subcommittee had hoped that their suggestion of lowering the levy and getting the rate closer to $7 would get new life after the idea was shared with the public in October, but that hasn't been the case.

Ken Scrivano, Rockford School Board president, and board member Mike Harner said they stand behind their votes to maintain the levy.

"I prefer to keep it where it's at," Scrivano said. "I have no desire to raise it."

Based on inflation, the board could have raised the rate to $7.33. That would have amounted to another $2.4 million in revenue next year.

The board lowered the district's rate by 58 cents this year, a substantial decrease that resulted in $26 million in savings for taxpayers. Subcommittee members Sunil Puri and Ted Biondo said they still believe the district can get by with less cash next year. It has a $150 million cash surplus.

The subcommittee's suggestion would amount to about $4.2 million less in revenue next year.

"It's a token amount that could have been given back to residents," said businessman Puri. "Given the surplus, it completely could have been done."

The district has taken good steps in fiscal and taxpayer responsibility in recent years, Biondo said, but he agrees with Puri.